Vaping could be worse for your health than actual cigarette smoking research claims

Vaping may be worse for your health than conventional smoking, according to new research.

Flavourings in e-cigarettes harm the lungs by triggering inflammation, scientists have warned.

The battery-powered devices are promoted as a tool to help smokers quit the habit.

But even short term use causes as much or more damage as the real thing, said the Greek team.

In experiments on mice they found the additives, including flavourings, caused lung inflammation similar or worse than that seen in traditional cigarette use.

Many people turn to vaping to stop them smoking cigarettes (Image: Getty Images/EyeEm)

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Corresponding author Dr Constaninos Glynos said: “The observed detrimental effects in the lung upon e-cigarette vapour exposure in animal models highlight the need for further investigation of safety and toxicity of these rapidly expanding devices worldwide.”

They simulate smoking a traditional cigarette by dispensing a vapour derived from liquid chemicals in a refillable cartridge that typically contain propylene glycol, nicotine and often flavourings.

Propylene glycol – a colourless and odourless additive – is found in numerous processed food and beverages. It is also used as a solvent in a number pharmaceuticals.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular, show e-cigs and refills are not well regulated – and their long-term effects on health are unknown.

So the researchers compared several groups of mice that received whole-body exposure to varying chemical combinations four times each day, with every session separated by 30-minute smoke-free intervals.

“In many cases, the added flavor in e-cigs exacerbated the detrimental effects of e-cig vapour.”

One group received cigarette smoke and three others e-cig vapours containing either propylene glycol, both this and nicotine or these two ingredient and a tobacco flavouring. A fifth batch just got normal, healthy air and acted as a control.

Some animals in each party underwent the regime for three days (short term) and others four weeks (long term).

There was an increase in markers of inflammation, mucus production and altered lung function in all three e-cig groups – after only three days.

Dr Glynos, of the University of Athens, said this suggests the additive elicits only a temporary irritation that eventually subsides with continued use.

In addition, two inflammation-producing proteins became elevated in the flavouring group.

Both are deemed unhealthy by experts (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This means some of the many flavouring components on the market may not be safe for even short-term use, said Dr Glynos.

The condition of the e-cig groups alarmed the researchers. The level of oxidative stress – damage at a cellular level – in those exposed to flavourings was equal to or higher than that of the cigarette group.

However, respiratory mechanics were adversely affected only in mice exposed to cigarette smoke – and not to e-cig vapour after prolonged treatment.